


The Spring Cavern

by Raven_Knight



Series: 2018 Autumn OTP Challenge - Multifandom [18]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Aragorn still goes by Estel in this fic, Don't copy to another site, M/M, Pre-Fellowship of the Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 15:25:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17665109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven_Knight/pseuds/Raven_Knight
Summary: After delivering Gollum to Mirkwood, Aragorn accepts the hospitality of King Thranduil's halls.





	The Spring Cavern

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings. This piece, archived at Archive of Our Own (Ao3), is purely a non-commercial work of fiction from which I am not profiting in any way. This work may not be reproduced, archived, or redistributed by any means and/or in any format without prior written permission from me. Permission may be obtained by contacting me at r4v3n.kn1ght@gmail.com. 
> 
> This series of oneshots belong to the 2018 Autumn OTP Challenge, though I have done away with the OTP part of it and focus instead on either romantic ships I ship or platonic relationships that fit the prompt given. This oneshot is in response to prompt #18: Bath/Shower. ~ RK

**The Spring Cavern**  
**By  
** **Raven Knight**

The capture and delivery of Gollum brought him to the Forest of Mirkwood, where the ferocious but skeletal creature was installed in a prison within King Thranduil’s home. Gollum had been taken away and the King of Mirkwood extended his hospitality to the Man after his long journey. With gratitude, he had accepted. On his very first evening, he found his way to the heated springs of the subterranean fortress.

The caverns were warm from the fires lit throughout and the springs were no exception. Upon his arrival, he caught sight of an Elf, a blonde, seated in the water and their head resting back against the smooth rock, hair cascading over the lip of the ledge like a golden, silk waterfall frozen by a winter’s chill. He waited and observed the Elf as a soft sound of relaxation reverberated off the walls of the cavern. The pale arms slid back into the water and the Elf sank slowly into the shallow depths, the long hair chasing the body down until no evidence remained of the fair being having been there. Had Aragorn arrived at that moment, he would have believed himself alone in the spring cavern.

Taking advantage of the momentary privacy, he stripped his leathers and worn fabrics and set them aside quickly. Having been raised primarily among the Elves, he did not flinch from nudity. His reserve stemmed from the knowledge that as a Man his body would never be held in equal appreciation as any Elf. He entered the warm waters of the spring and seated himself on the ledge directly across from the Elf’s position. Just as he settled, the blonde surfaced, not along the edge of the spring, but nearer the middle of it in the waters deep enough to require treading water instead of resting in it. The Elf’s head and shoulders broke the water’s surface. The blonde hair swayed in the water with the gentle movements of the pale arms to keep him afloat. Piercing blue eyes took in his new companion in a glance before he proclaimed, “For a Man, you move with enough silence to rival an Elf.”

“I was raised in the House of Elrond.”

The Elf tilted his head, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. “You must be his ward. I have heard tell of you, but I did not expect to encounter you here in Mirkwood.”

Aragorn could not help but return the gentle smile. “And what tales have you heard of me?”

The Elf slowly swam closer to Aragorn, his blonde hair trailed after his approach like a light cloak in a mild breeze. “You are as Estel.”

Aragorn nodded. “A name given me but not my given name.”

He accepted this answer with a thoughtful nod and continued his watery approach. “Lord Elrond cannot be one to bestow a name upon anyone without it possessing some deeper meaning. He is a loremaster, is he not?”

“He is.”

“Then, to give you the name Estel must mean he holds you in high esteem,” he reasoned, rising from the water as the depth demanded walking waist deep over swimming. He stepped towards Aragorn with the grace only an Elf possessed. “The question is whether Estel refers to the Elves or to Men.” Aragorn’s interest shone in his smile and in his appreciative gaze.  The Elf leaned into him and curled his hands around the rock behind Aragorn’s head and used that stability to smoothly guide his body to rest straddled over and against that of the Man seated before him. “Do you belong to Men or to Elves?” he asked, settling his weight against Aragorn. He smiled as he felt the evidence of the Man’s interest in their position.

Aragorn held his heated gaze as he planted his palms and then firmly but slowly ran his hands along the Elf’s body from thighs to hips and gripped the slender form to him. “For now I belong to the Elves.”

The Elf licked his lips and brought them closer to him. “Good.”

Aragorn mirrored the action. “What do they call you?”

The question yielded an endearing blush. “I am called Greenleaf.” Aragorn slid his hand to the middle of Greenleaf’s spine and pressed, bringing the blonde to him so that he could claim his lips. The cavern and the spring echoed with the sounds of water splashing and wordless passion long after the fire of the torches burned out into darkness. Aragorn enjoyed the hospitality and company until he departed King Thranduil’s halls, stunned to encounter Greenleaf in Rivendell when Lord Elrond gathered a Council to determine the fate of the One Ring.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think of it, or hit the kudos button if you're shy. Thanks for reading! ~ RK


End file.
